Hydraulic starting mechanism



1950 J. c. MOLYNEUX ETAL 2,498,597

HYDRAULIC STARTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1947-VINVENTQRS,

WL M

ATTORNEY.

3, 1950 J. c. MOLYNEUX ET AL HYDRAULIC STARTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed July 12, 1947 INVENTORS,

ATTORNE 1950 J. c. MOLYNEUX ET AL 2,498,697

HYDRAULIC STARTING MECHANISM Filed July 12, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTORS,

ATTORNEY or self-contained hydraulic system,

sshowingthe' parts in starting position. Figure '5'- is-a top plan view,

"Figure '6 is a side view Patented Feb. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES, AIOFHEE) I l HYDRAULIC STARTING MECHANISM John, 'ChesteriMblyneuxanctlillarence1E;v

Bournique; J amestovm, No

Application July-12, 1947,;SeriaLNO. roasts.

3 'CIaims; (C11 IZB LYS) "This invention relates generally to the art ofengine starters but "more particularly to an hydraulic startingmechanism for internal combustion engines.

designedand' constructed as to operate in a-closed which is positive andeflicient'in operation, and which re- "qui'resbut'a minimum of" manualeffort by'foot orhand' pressure to initiate the. engine.

Another-objector"thisinvention is to provide a its operation to startstarting system of this character which will eliminate the type ofstorage batteries now re 'quired for-startin the engines of motor-drivenvehicles and; materially simplifythe electric sys- "tem thereof;and'wherein the hydraulic pressure-creating means willfunctionover amarch mum time period to induce mechanical motion at ;a near or distantpoint.

A further object is' to provide an hydraulic starting mechanism'iormotor vehicles which fis simple, compact and economical in constructionand operation, and" which can be readily installed.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described'and particularly pointed outin the-appended claims.

In theaccompanying' drawings "Figure 1; is'e; sectional elevation of"the improved hydraulic starting mechanism, theycyli'nderar- "rangementbeing di'agrammatical. fragmentary sectional 'end view' thereof takensubstantially in' theplane of line 2 -2 Figured.

Figure 2' is a Figure 3 is-asimil'ar view;- partly in" section;showingcertainyof the fluid connections. Figure 4 is" an enlarged,fragmentary sectional elevation their engine-engaging or of theinvenpartly in section; of-a modification "tion for use on outboardmotor-boat engines.

thereof, partly in section. Figure '7' is'a detail sectional elevationoftheretaininglatch for the starter assembly.

Similar-characters of reference indicate correspending parts throughoutthe several views.

B'y 'way-of example, the invention has been shown in connection with aninternal combustion- ;-engine wherein H1 indicates the crank shaft and"the flywheel havingthe customary ring gear it thereon with which thestarting pinion. I 3 of 'itheainventiorr is'adapte'd toreIeas'ablyengage flienit-isd'easirdtostart the'eneine.

Ill

' athepewaa The hydraulic starti'n vmechanism' includeswaa suitable"cylinder blbck or housing l'4 "suitably supportedon'thevehicle-frame"ad'jacentz'thefflywheel'gend ofithe-engineand.containingagreserve cylinder 1'5" for the fluid medium; "an hydraulic piston'or-pumping cylinder I 6-? adapted for-communication therewith andnormallyfizll oi .the fluidvmedium; 'and'an operating or hydraulicpressureicylinder' l'lpcommunicatingwith'lthe; latter-and inwhichthefluid pressure is built upjfor initiatingthe-displacement offthestarting pinion [3 into mesh with theflywheelgear t'Z-and thentransmitting rotarymotion t0"the"piTIiOntOiSfiBilt the'engi-ne'.The-greservecylinder I 55 has a fillercap" opening thereinandthroughwhich any: displaced airin-the'fluid system is vented. Operable inthepumping; cylinder t6 for buiiding up the pressure in thecommonieating; cylinder H i's' a manually-actuated piston 1-8" h'avin gafoot or hand pedal [8 extending therefromand guided in" the end wall orthe housing M. A" springifl interposed-between'- thispiston. theopposite end; of'the-rhousing: serves to normally'nrge the f'ormer'to"fliS'IBtIZJQtEd position, shown imligure I. 'Operable in' theoppositeendfof'the adjoining cylinder" l I, and movablein; a directionopposite to the piston Hi in response torabuild srp pressuretstroke byth'e' pedal t9 is a" piston 'Zl' backed by' a spring]? which is 'oftheproper size and tension to deliver the. desiredpressureofithev hydraulicfluid ,requiredffor' arrtuati'rrg" the starting pinion.'Communicationlbetween.the discharge end. of the cylinderIfifiandtlierintakeendjofiithe pressure cylinder: I1 is *effectedhy'apassage 23 "formed in 1 the: head 324 of "the 'cylinder housing andcontainingfgar spring-urged check valve .25 which-opensiinwardlyand'l'is: normally closed outwardly;v Alsofformedinthis'headzand-communieating tlw-pressure' cylinder"are: valve con-"trolled; discharge-passages 26"andf 2'1 -forconductingthe"pressure-inducedhydraulic-medium to the" means for shifting andtransmitting-motion tothe pinion l 3ito start themot'or: The-means forefiecting the axial displacement of thestarting pinion fromits-normaI-ly-released position,

' showniin: Figured, :to itsoperative driving positi'onshown" in Fi'gurei, is preferably constructed. as follows:

Thepinion is spiinedioraxialmovement onia horizontal shaft 2'8"journaled at one "end in'a 'loearing formed in thehousing-headfl and atits other endin'a bracket "29 projecting therefrom.

- Journaled on ea. bearingiw; applied .tothe:- hobaof the piniorrto=movei axia' "erewith s'butf held rooilar or amuli'is drivingengagement with the engine gear 3| coupled to the housing-head by guiderods or members 32 and having cylinders 33 applied thereto in axialalinement with such guide rods. The latter terminate at their outer endsin heads or pistons 34 which engage and operate within the companioncylinders 33, the latter being movable on the pistons and a spring 35between each piston and cylinder constantly urging the latter togetherwith the pinion toseek the position shown in Figure 1. The outerportions of the guide rods are hollow, as indicated at 36, and open intothe companion cylinders, each being connected by a tube or conduit 31 tothe companion fluid pressure discharged passage 26, so that when themechanism is rendered operative, the fluid pressure is directed againstthe heads of the cylinders to shift the pinion I3 toward and into meshwith the ring gear l2, this movement being limited by the pinionabutting the opposing end of the bearing-bracket 29. Upon the returnstroke of the pinion-shifting cylinders, the fluid medium is adapted tobe expelled through the same conduits 31 and thence through avalvecontrolled passage 38 branching or by-passing from the passage 26and connected by a tube or conduit 39 leading to the reserve cylinderI5.

The control of the fluid fromthe pressure cylinder I1 and its return tothe pump-cylinder I6 is effected by alternately opened and closed feedand release valves 40 and 4|, respectively, governed jointly by amanually actuated knob 42 conveniently positioned on the dash board ofthe vehicle. These valves are preferably in the form of slide valvesguided in companion openings 43 formed in the housing-head '24 at rightangles or in intersecting relation to the respective passages 26, 38 andeach has a transverse port 44 therein for registering with suchrespective passages. Each'valve is connected by a rod 45 to a commontie-bar 46 joined to the knob 42 and springs 41 normally urge the valves40, 4| to their respective closed and opened positions, as shown inFigures 1 and 2. When the knob is pulled outwardly to its operativeengine-starting position, the fluid pressure release valve 4! is movedfrom its open to its closed position and the fluid pressure feed controlvalve 40 is moved from its closed to its open position to deliver thefluid under pressure to the piston-cylinder assembly 33, 34 for causingthe shifting of the pinion l3 into l2, preparatory to transmittingrotary motion to such gear by hydraulic pressure.

Immediately following the shiftingof the starting pinion into operativedriving engagement with the flywheel gear, fluid pressure is divertedfrom the pressurecylinder I! through the passage 2'! to a rotor chamber48 formed in the housing-head 24 axially of the. pinion-shaft 23, thelatter having a rotor or impeller wheel 49 fixed thereon. Leading fromthis rotor-chamber is a passage 50 through which the spent fluid mediumis discharged into the reserve cylinder 15. Interposed in the rotorintake passage 21 is a, slide valve having a transverse port 52 thereinand having a spring 53 acting thereon for normally urging it to itsclosed position shown in Figure 1.

For effecting the automatic opening of this valve in proper sequence tothe meshing of the starting pinion with the flywheel gear, an operativeconnection is employed between the stem 54 of the valve and theshiftable pinion assembly. This connection preferably consists of alinkage or Etelescopic members 55, 56 pivoted at their outer ends to thevalve-stem and pinion assembly, re-

spectively, one of the members having a, longitudinal slot 51 thereinfor receiving a Stop lug 58 on the companion member. By thisconstruction, a certain lost motion is provided during the shifting ofthe pinion toward and from its operative position, after which thetelescopic connection is rigid to cause the movement of the valve 5| toits open or closed position jointl with the final or initial stroke ofthe pinion assembly and thereupon cause the rotation of the shaft 23 tostart the engine or arrest such rotation after the engine is started.

After the starting of the engine, the knob 42 is restored to its initialposition shown in the drawings, thereby closing the fluid pressure feedcontrol valve 40 and opening the pressure release valve 4|, and causingthe springs 35 to release the pinion assembly l3, 3| from the ring gearl2 and the-contained fluid medium to be discharged through the conduits31, 38 and 39 to the reserve cylinder l5. During this return or releasestroke of the pinion assembly, the rotor control valve 5| is closed andthe rotation of the pinion-shaft 28 arrested.

If desired, the hydraulic pressure cylinder I! may be dispensed with andthe pressure built'up in cylinder [6 and directly connected to thepinion and rotor assemblies for actuating them in sequence for startingthe engine.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 5-7 inclusive,the starting mechanism is adapted for use on smaller engines, forexample, an outboard, internal combustion engine, wherein 60 indicatesthe motor-shaft, 6! the flywheel and 62 the ring gear. Pivoted on themotor-frame at one side of the flywheel for horizontal swinging movementrelative thereto is a starter housing 63 having a cylinder-blockstructure similar to that previously described and having a starterpinion 64 journaled thereon and projecting from the inner side thereoffor releasable engagement with the ring gear in response to the manualmovement of the housing toward and from the flywheel. The actuation ofthe starter housing to and from operating position is eiTected by ahandle 65 pivoted at 65 to swing toward and from as well as laterally ofthe housing and having a link 61 pivoted at one end thereto and at itsother end to the operating piston 68 of the pumping cylinder 69, thishandle also functioning as the means for building up the pressure in theadjoining pressure cylinder 70. As in the previous construction, thestarting pinion is rotated by a rotor or impeller wheel 1| driven byhydraulic pressure, a normally-closed valve 12 being provided. forgoverning the flow of the fluid medium from the pressure cylinder to thechamber of the impeller. Thisvalve has an actuating stem thereonterminating at its end in a roller 73 for abuttingengagement with theperiphery of the flywheel, so that when the housing 63 is swung to itsoperative gear meshing position the valve will be automatically moved toits open position and cause the admission of the hydraulic pressure tooperate the impeller wheel and accordingly start the engine. A stop 14is disposed in the path of the inward movement of the housing topredetermine the meshing of the gears as well as the opening position ofthe valve 12. Also, a suitable latch 75 pivotally mounted on the housingmay be provided for releasably retaining the starter housing in itsnormal outwardly swung position and when operating the handle 65 as apump. If-desired, this latch may be in the lateral folding path of thehandle assembly, so that when the latter is so moved the latch will betripped thereby and released to free the housing for movement toward theflywheel.

We claim as our invention:

1. An hydraulic engine starting mechanism, comprising a driven shaft, apinion mounted thereon for axial movement relative thereto into and outof driving engagement with the enginegear, means in operative engagementWith said pinion for axially-displacing it hydraulically into engagementwith the engine-gear, hydraulically rotatable means operativelyconnected to said pinion-shaft for driving it, valve means for governingthe admission of the hydraulic pressure medium to and its discharge fromsaid piniondisplacing means, one of said valve means being normallyclosed and the other being normally open, and control means forinitiating the operation of said shaft-rotating means when the pinion isin operative engagement with the engine-gear.

2. An hydraulic engine starting mechanism, comprising a driven shaft, apinion mounted thereon for axial movement relative thereto into and outof driving engagement with the enginegear, means in operative engagementwith said pinion for axially displacing it hydraulically into engagementwith the engine-gear, hydraulically rotatable means operativelyconnected to said pinion-shaft for driving it, valve means for governingthe admission of the hydraulic pressure medium to and its discharge fromsaid piniondisplacing means, one of said valve means being normallyclosed and the other being normally open, manual means operativelyconnected to said valve means for jointly actuating them to theirrespective open and closed positions, and control means governed by saidhydraulic pinion-displacing means for automatically initiating theoperation of said shaft-rotating means when the pinion is in operativeengagement with the engine-gear.

3. An hydraulic engine starting mechanism, comprising a driven shaft, apinion mounted thereon for axial movement relative thereto into and outof driving engagement with the enginegear, an annulus journaled on saidpinion to move axially therewith and held against turning relativelythereto, hydraulically-actuated means correlated with said annulus forprojecting it in a direction to bring the pinion into drivingregistration with the engine gear, hydraulicallyactuated means fordriving said shaft, valve means for governing the admission of thehydraulic pressure medium to and its discharge from saidannulus-actuating means, one of said valve means being normally closedand the other open, manual means operatively connected to said valvemeans for jointly actuating them to their respective open and closedpositions, a normally-closed valve for governing the admission of thepressure medium to said shaft-driving means, and an operative connectionbetween said annulus and said last-named valve for actuating the latterto its open position at a predetermined time in the registration of thepinion with the enginegear.

JOHN CHESTER MOLYNEUX. CLARENCE E. BOURNIQUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,055,769 Lipman Mar. 11, 19131,104,058 Marr July 21, 1914 1,974,870 Lansing Sept. 25, 1934 2,446,691Clyde et a1. Aug. 10, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,202Great Britain Sept. 25, 1914

